PeaceCraft
Imagine
… stepping into the shoes -well, smartphones- of 2 young people on the run. With PeaceCraft, we opted for a story-driven, interactive wake-up call. The immersive mobile takeover places Belgian teenagers in the role of a young refugee (either Syrian Sara or Afghan Mohammed), aiming for nuance and empathy to counter the often data-driven and emotionless narrative presented in traditional media.
The journey of fictional refugees Sara and Mohammed – from their homeland to their arrival in Belgium – unfolds through social networks, text messages, photos and more. Both narrative experiences are the result of an intense co-creation journey, extensive conversations and workshops with the residents of the Red Cross Refugee Center in Antwerp.
Confrontation through Familiarity
While mobile games are not our studio’s main focus, in this case, it was the most logical choice to bridge the (perception of) gap between Belgian teenagers and their asylum seeking peers. They all carry their entire life in their pocket, on their phones. This little piece of technology is – for all of them- often their whole world: their gps, photo album, connection to loved ones, source of information,…
Through mock-ups of universally recognized apps, we tapped into and connected their respective worlds. And on a story-level, we aimed for a matching level of emotional connection, emphasizing similarity and relatability rather than differences. Because Syrian Sara and Afghan Mohammed also have / had a best friend, a significant other, a soccer club, and a playlist featuring their favorite music, just like their peers here in Belgium.
Blood, sweat, and tears
During the creation process, we spent a lot of time with – especially young – asylum seekers at the Red Cross Refugee Center in Antwerp. Young people who left behind relatable dreams, hobbies and friendships. And who, after a perilous and traumatic journey, find themselves in a ‘waiting room’ until someone decides if and where they can continue chasing those dreams and building new relationships. Their stories deeply touched us. Therefore, we hope PeaceCraft can reach as many (young) people as possible, and encourage them to approach newcomers with an open mind, beyond the label of “refugee”.
Henry Van de Velde Award 2019
PeaceCraft won a Henry Van de Velde award ‘19 in the “Community” category. The Henry Van de Velde Awards are Belgium’s most prestigious design awards.
The Team behind PeaceCraft
PeaceCraft is both a game and a theater performance, initiated by !DROPS and U Move 4 Peace (Pax Christi Flanders). The game was brought to life by Poppins & Wayne and Senne Van den Bogaert. The participatory theater piece is a creation by U Move 4 Peace in collaboration with KunstZ and Madam Fortuna. At the heart of both creations is the close collaboration with the residents and facilitators of the Red Cross Center in Antwerp.
Play PeaceCraft
Use your smartphone to navigate to the URL below. For the best experience we suggest adding the page to your mobile home screen via your browser option menu. Then open the game via the new app icon (This will open the experience full screen).
https://peacecraft.poppinswayne.com/
More about PEACECRAFT
- Salaam, Lina
Ze is 22, houdt van Rihanna (“Shine bright like a diamond, you know the song?”) en van The Rock (“I… Read more: Salaam, Lina - PeaceCraft
Imagine … stepping into the shoes -well, smartphones- of 2 young people on the run. With PeaceCraft, we opted for… Read more: PeaceCraft